It is the duty of every one to do what he can to further this progress to quicken this growth, and to practise and encourage only those amusements which seem suitable for the development of the best side in the character of the people. [Illustration: THE END] FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 8: Erasmus, the reformer, speaks of 'many herds' of bears which he saw being trained for baiting when he was in England in the reign of Henry VIII.] [Footnote 9: This description is taken from "The Reminiscences of an Octogenarian," published in _The Reading Observer_. He describes a visit made by himself when a youth, to Wokingham, under the guidance of an elder companion, to see the bull-baiting. Other particulars have been derived from information given to the writer of this article by those, most of them now dead, who were spectators of the sports.] [Footnote 10: The particulars of this scene were given to the writer by the farmer who had been one of the boys in the chaise.] [Footnote 11: The description of this scene is taken partly from an old picture, and partly from the narrative of an eye-witness.] Index. Abbot, power of, 133-134 Alfred the Great, 98-114 Agriculture languishing, 14 Albert Memorial Chapel, 41 Abingdon, chronicles of, 63-64; Fair, 93; Guild, 121 Bacon, M.J., Berkshire Words and Phrases, 235-243 Barber's Guild, 124-126, 129 Berkshire Words and Phrases, 235-243 Bible, Alfred attempts to translate the, 107 Binfield, 211-234 Binfield and Easthampstead, 1700-1716, and the early years of Alexander Pope, 211-234 British tribes, 2 Bull-baiting in Berkshire, 244-258 Burney, Fanny, life at Windsor described by, 37 Burning at the Stake, 14 Celtic times, 2 Chapel Royal, 40-41 Charles I. a prisoner at Windsor, 34; execution and burial, 34; snow at his funeral, 35 Christianity, spread of, 8 Civil War, 14-18 Cloth-trade destroyed at Reading, 160 Cumnor Place and Amy Robsart, 63-97 Cumnor Church, 65-69 Danes destroy Churches, 7-8; defeated, 104 Disobedience, fine for, 126 Ditchfield, P.H. Historic Berkshire, 1-20; Guilds of Berkshire, 115-136 Dragon stories, 140 Dudley, Lord Robert, 74-91 Easthampstead, 211-234 Elfreda's crimes, 179 Elizabeth, Queen, patroness of baiting animals, 246 England united under Alfred, 7 Faringdon, Hugh, 153-159 Field, J.E., Wallingford Castle, 47-62 First Battle of Newbury, 193-203 First monarch interred at Windsor, 31 Freedom of towns sold, 131 Gardiner, E.R., Scouring of the White Horse, 137-152 Garter, institution of, 26 Gaunt, John of, marriage, 186 Gilt cup as a New Year's present, 159 Good Friday, baiting animals on, 247 Guilds of Berkshire, 115-136 Handbill, quaint, 144 Herne's oak, 44 Heart of St. George brought to Windsor, 30 Highwayman, story of a, 142-143 Historic Berkshire, 1-20 Holy Cross, Guild of, 135 Hunting, 113